A status update nobody dreads reading
Weekly updates fail when they report activity instead of decisions. A five-line format that keeps stakeholders calm.
If your weekly update is a list of tickets closed, you are asking a busy stakeholder to do your synthesis for you. They will not. They will skim it, assume everything is fine, then panic later.
Format
Five lines, same order, every week
- Where we are against the plan, in one sentence.
- What changed since last week that affects the outcome.
- Decisions needed from you, with a date.
- Risks, each with an owner.
- Next week in three bullets.
Same order builds a habit. After a month people read line three first, which is exactly what you want.
0%
Fewer escalations
Across three retained accounts
0 days
Faster sign-off
Average decision turnaround
0 page
Update length
Non-negotiable
